Ms WALKER - 2010-08-19
Territorians know confidence is a very important element of our economy. Can you advise on any information you have which indicates the confidence of business in the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Sensis Business Index is published every quarter; it is a survey of some 2000 businesses across Australia, and in the Northern Territory they survey some 150 businesses. As the member for Nhulunbuy said, it is a measure of confidence in the business community and a measure of confidence that the business community has in the government. Last quarter, the Northern Territory had the strongest and the highest business confidence in the nation. Coupled with that, businesses in the Northern Territory have the highest confidence of any state or territory government in the nation. That is a great result for the business community; it is a great result for the community.
With confidence in the business community we have job creation. We have capital expenditure …
Members interjecting
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr KNIGHT: The member for Fong Lim does not like to see the business community getting good results. He needs to talk to these people. I talk to them and they are confident in where the economy is going and what the government is doing. What they are saying is the programs the Northern Territory government has are supporting them. The direction, the budget allocations we had, especially in this last year, the highest infrastructure budget ever in the Northern Territory, supported those businesses in the worst economic downturn since the war. This is a great result for the business community. They are saying they have consistent work and they see those conditions which exist at the moment are not going to change. This is a great result for the business community and a great endorsement of the government programs.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Sensis Business Index is published every quarter; it is a survey of some 2000 businesses across Australia, and in the Northern Territory they survey some 150 businesses. As the member for Nhulunbuy said, it is a measure of confidence in the business community and a measure of confidence that the business community has in the government. Last quarter, the Northern Territory had the strongest and the highest business confidence in the nation. Coupled with that, businesses in the Northern Territory have the highest confidence of any state or territory government in the nation. That is a great result for the business community; it is a great result for the community.
With confidence in the business community we have job creation. We have capital expenditure …
Members interjecting
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr KNIGHT: The member for Fong Lim does not like to see the business community getting good results. He needs to talk to these people. I talk to them and they are confident in where the economy is going and what the government is doing. What they are saying is the programs the Northern Territory government has are supporting them. The direction, the budget allocations we had, especially in this last year, the highest infrastructure budget ever in the Northern Territory, supported those businesses in the worst economic downturn since the war. This is a great result for the business community. They are saying they have consistent work and they see those conditions which exist at the moment are not going to change. This is a great result for the business community and a great endorsement of the government programs.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016